White god

When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog Hagen, deemed 'unfit' by the State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. The one-time house pet has learned much, not all good, in his journey through the streets and animal control centers, as he leads a pack of 'unfit' dogs to bite the hands that beat them.

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Lili, the girl, and her relationship with Hagen, the dog, is center stage--as it should be--but what I also found interesting was the rebuilding of her relationship with her estranged father and her adolescent triumphs/trials. The stray dogs' position in society is faithfully and realistically portrayed; a chase scene by dog catchers is intense. According to the director, there's no CGI, just patient asking and bonding of the strays (who were all adopted post-filming). An amazing film about life, devotion, and whether love can win over abuse. There's quite a bit of violence (illegal dog fights; vengeful deaths via the pack).

A Hungarian film about a girl and her dog who move in with her father. The landlord does not allow dogs and threatens to kick them out so the father releases the dog onto the streets. The dog and other strays revolt and start hunting down humans, all the while the girl is searching for her lost dog. This really is a heartbreaking story about the bond that people can have with their pets and is unlike any dog movie you've ever seen before.

This is a good movie but hard to watch. I had to skip the most violent parts half way through. The message is clear even with the cinematic bravura involved. It is not your colour or race that makes you human. Those mutts were beautiful. Interesting added feature about the making of the movie.

I urge you not to mistakenly let your children see this movie . It is DEFINITELY NOT FOR CHILDREN. Myself and the other adults watching felt traumatized by the unnecessary graphic depiction of animal cruelty and violence and the heart-less men in this movie. We chose to turn it off.
The adults in this movie were deplorable human beings. I felt there was no context or purpose in depicting these characters nor any redeeming value to this film. It contributes to the already too much focus on violence and inhumanity in our world and offers no genuine insight or perspective---just a sickening indulgence in sociopath horror.
While directing and filming these dogs may have been a cinematic triumph it serves no constructive purpose. This film made me feel absolutely AWFUL drawing attention to the cruelty that exist in the world, without any substance—without offering anything beneficial. This film does contribute to sustaining a dim, narrow view of humanity. WHY? Very strange “entertainment.” Very sad indeed>

This is an adventure film about a young teen that gets forcefully separated from her best friend and companion, the mixed-breed dog named "Hagen." Not wanting to give any spoilers away, there are a myriad of layers to this film that echo "Spartacus" as well as man vs Nature, in this case man's alleged dominance over animals (really driven home by the opening scene.) Lots of foreshadowing throughout, and there is an ambiguous ending with an amazing tableaux for the final frames. Not a good film for kids, and there are scenes of simulated animal violence and cruelty.

Lassie, get lost. Viewers warn that White God is not for children, but in a way, a child would best understand this fable of brutality that pulls apart a girl and her dog. Towards the end, despite careful photography and sound, it becomes obvious the mob of fuzzy actors are not filled with hate for mankind, though there is no reason that animals should love us. Perhaps the moral of the film is that we are prisoners of our own natures.

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Summary

"White God" is the English title of this Hungarian-made movie. (as of Aug'15, it's only listed in NYPL index by its Hungarian title).
A dystopic view of modern society. In a novel twist, the canine protagonist's story is seen primarily through the eyes of a DOG! Mixed breed dogs are confiscated & confined. A tipping point is reached, and they form a quasi-canine "army" to reclaim the future that they've been denied.
At the heart of this piece (involving 100's of real-life dogs) is the story of a heartbroken dog who yearns to return to his best friend, a young Hungarian girl.
Description adapted from "Backfront" (Hungarian film critique magazine):
"The screenplay traces the misadventures of a girl and her best friend, a dog, in a world of winners and losers. A world in which pedigree is a decisive factor.
In a rare turn-of-events, genuine affection serves as the dog's catalyst for rebellion against an unjust fate.
The film promotes the hope of peace, and the belief that the eternal war (between higher and lower beings) will one day be brought to an end.”